Name: Lalo Silva
Age: 21
Classification: Senior
Major: Music Technology Minor: Spanish
Born: Chimbote, Peru Hometown: Hoover, Alabama
HC: What led you to your major?
Lalo: What led me to my major is my love for music! I’ve loved music ever since I can remember. It’s like a universal language; people from all over the world can connect to it. When I was around 10 years old, I started playing the alto saxophone, and I fell even more in love with music. I wasn’t just a listener anymore, I was part of making the music!
HC: What do you want to do in the future?
Lalo: I’m currently unsure of what I want to do with my future. Something with music obviosuly, maybe work with a record lable business side, or shoot even help write or produce the next one hit wonder! I had the oppportunity to live in Europe a year ago and fell in love with traveling. I would love to see more of the world! Maybe I can find something where I can do both?
HC: Since you’ve studied abroad, what tips do you have for those who want to travel and experience a new culture?
Lalo:
- PACK LIGHTLY! You do not want to be lugging around your heavy carry-on/backpack here and there and not have space for things you buy while traveling.
- Have an open mind. Remeber you are in a different place where they do not do exactly everything you do. Be respectful fo the culture and try to immerse yourself in it. That’s the best way to experience a new place! If the Spanish want to have 3 hour siestas to nap during the day, then so be it. I’m doing it too!
- Go meet the natives! Go out to the bars, clubs, cafes, parks, etc. To best experience a cutlure, you have to interact with the people. There may be a language barrier but trust me, there are ways around it. (Aka use your hands, basically how I ordered most of my food in Athens)
- Be willing to make sacrifices. There is a myth that travelling is expensive, but in reality, it is not. I mean if you want to do the wine tour and stay in a 5 star hotel, then it might be. I styaed in hostels (some were really bad) and even slept in ariports to save some money. I walked nearly everywhere in most cities to avoid paying for public transportation.
- Make the most out of your experience. Not everything is going to go as planned while travelling. You can sit there and complain about it or keep going and enjoy the ride! Your bag with all your money and passport may be stolen by the Eiffle Tower and you have to take a bus from Paris to Madrid in which drugs were being transported. But hey, at I got to see the beautiful French country side and my sister and brother-in-law came to visit (aka rescue) me!
HC: What’s one piece of advice you would give your freshmen self?
Lalo: Get involved more on campus, you get to meet new people like that! You may meet people that have it all planned out, and it’s ok to not know what you want to do with your life yet.
HC: I agree! Everyone’s in the same boat trying to figure out life. Lastly, what are you looking forward to after graduation?
Lalo: Oh my that’s a hard question. I want to get out there and take on the real world!